TV Licence replacement

I read today that the plan is to replace the tv licence with a 'broadcasting charge' and to give the proceeds to RTE and to independent and commercial operations.

The charge would be an increase on present levels and would apply to people with TVs and with internet access.

I am ok with a charge to fund aspects of RTE that are necessary from a cultural aspect and which cannot be paid by advertising or sponsorship. However I do not think this tax should be given to commercial operations (who should be able to stand on their own feet) or to RTE to provide services that are being perfectly well provided by the commercial competitiors.

In my view these proposals are way worse than the water charge. Water is essential and it costs to bring it to the home. We can do without broadcasting and paying a public body to compete (inefficiently) with the private sector is the worst possible use of public funds.

If the government really feel that RTE should be funded by a tax on broadcasting, then RTE should list what they plan to do that nobody will pay for and the government should levy this money on the Internet Service Providers, not as an individual tax.

What do people think?

Atlantic Dawn

Nothing will be coming before the next election.

icdg

Announced only this week that it is not happening in the lifetime of the present Dail, and while never say never, is probably not going to happen anytime soon.